Improvement in sealing locks



UNITED s STATES PATENTN OFF FRANKLIN W. BROOKSQOF NEW YORK, N. Y.

,Y llMPRovEMENT IN SEAL'ING LOCKS;

Specification forming part of Letters Fatent No. 99,82, dated February 15, 1870.

with a suitable key-hole, and when shut downl upon the paper seal is there held by a springcatch within the lock, which can only be retracted by the same action of the key which retracts the main bolt or catch from the shackle of the lock, so that the act of unlocking releases the seal-plate, and so admits of the seal 4 being taken out and replaced by a new 011e, but as the seal before placed in position has been destroyed by the passage ot' the key, and cannot be reproduced or duplicated by any unauthorized party, the fact of the lock having been opened cannot be concealed.

These lo'cks asnow commonly made and used fail to afford the security intended by reason of the manner in whichthe seal-plate is made and applied. The heel (or hinged end) of the said plate can without much difficulty be released from it's attaching-pin and raised sufficiently to admit of withdrawing the paper seal o r pushing it out of the way, in either of which cases a key or pick can be introduced through the key-hole to open the lock without piercing the seal, so that when the lock has been relocked the seal and its plate can be replaced, and detection thus avoided.

To prevent the possibility of thus tampering with the lock by the surreptitious removal ofthe seal is the object of my invention, and to this end I prefer to form the seal-plate of frangible or inflexible metal or other material, andV the seal of variegated glass which cannot be bent, and,rif broken, cannot be duplicated, so

` that even if the hinge end were released it could not be bent up and replaced without detection, and I construct the hinge not with an exposed pintle 'extending completely through the seal-case, so as to admit of being punched out as in the locks now used, but I form it pref erabl y with two studs made in one solid piece with the hinged plate, and upon the heel th erect', so" that the said plate in ust be inserted from the rear vbefore the lock is put together,

the same result maybe effected by screwing Y pins from both sides into holes which do not l go entirely through, and the head or outer end of the screws being cut oi' flush and subsequently clinched, any attempt to remove them will inevitably be detected.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front view oi' a seal-padlock, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 represents atransverse sec tion of the same at w x, Fig.'1. Fig. 3 is an interior view of the seal-plate and its case. Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section at y y, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a face view, partly in section, illustrating a modification in the manner of securing the hingepintle. Fig. 6 is alview of the inside of the face-plate of the lock as made in one piecewith the seal-case, showing the aperture madefor the introduction of the seal plate and the said plate in position. Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal section of the same parts at zz, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the lock-plate with seal case attached, showing a seal of variegated glass within a metallic frame. Fig. 9 represents alongitudinal section of the seal and its frame or plate.

Like letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

My improved lock in its general construction may be similar to those in common use of the description referred to, and hence the internal mechanism and the holding shackle do not require description, and are not represented in the drawings.

A represents the face-plate of the lock, and B the seal-case which maybe formed in one piece therewith or perm anently attached thereto by soldering or other means, the seal-plate C being applied between it and the plate A with the pivot-studs e c, which are formed in one piece with the plate, fitted in recesses prepared for their reception in the seal-case B. `As will be seen in Figs.2 and 3, these recesses do not extend to the outside of the case.

D represents the customary stud upon the seal-plate, with which a spring-catch within the lock engages to hold the said plate down.

E is the key-hole, which is made of correspondin g shape in thelock-plate and seal-plate, as is usual.

In Fig. 5 is shown an equivalent mode of making a permanent hinge which cannot be detached without subsequent detection.A This is done by means of screws c c, which, after being screwed firmly into corresponding threaded sockets in the sealcase B, are cut off flush, and clinched on the outside, so that they cannot be Withdrawn. Their plain inner ends fit loosely Within sockets in the seal-plate, so that the latter may turn freely upon them.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the seal-caseB is shown as made in one piece With the lock-plate A, an aperture, a, being in the plate to admit of the insertion of the sealplate C endwise from the back or inside of the faceplate A before the latter is fixed in position on the lock.

By making the seal of Variegated glass its duplication may be rendered impossible, so that itcannot be removed and replaced by another Without detection. This form-of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, where the glass seal S is represented as set Within a hinged metallic frame, C', so formed as to retain it securely when locked. This seal, being of Varie- .gated glass, which cannot be successfully imito the lock by the permanent hinge c or c', as

that the seal must be broken before the key can be inserted, substantially'as set forth.

FRANKLIN W. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

W. B. DEMING, A. HUGHES. 

